A fuel cell is described in document FR 03 07 967. It consists of a large number of elementary cells disposed in series and each having a stack comprising, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, an anode 13a and a cathode 13b separated by an electrolytic membrane 10. The stack is positioned between two current collecting plates 11 and 12 through a diffuser (14a and 14b).
The patent application EP 04 405063.1 presents a method according to which the current collector is made by galvanic deposition on a substrate and then transferred onto the membrane so as to be held there by being inlaid or by adhesive bonding.